1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a presence management system for use in a multiple access communications network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Telecommunication users of today are faced with ever increasing choice over how they communicate. A typical user has several different kinds of communications terminal such as mobile telephones, fax machines, personal computers, lap-top computers. Also a typical user also often has more that one of a given type of communications terminal, for example, more than on E-mail account, or home and work telephone numbers. This produces complexity and confusion both for senders and receivers of communications.
Receivers of communications have to work hard to field all incoming communications and such users often find that interruptions from alerts, such as telephone calls and instant messages, are intrusive.
Typically, receivers of communications have little control over what communications are received, at which times, and in which modes. In face to face communications, humans are able to control the degree of interaction which they allow with particular people or groups. However, with today's communication networks the degree and resolution of the control of electronically mediated communications is much less. For example, telephone numbers are often fully public (in a directory) and are typically issued on demand to others who explicitly ask and know the full address. Also, a telephone number, once released to others, has continuing validity unless the telephone number is changed at great inconvenience and expense. Similar problems apply for email addresses. This means that it is easy for others, such as salesmen or nuisance callers to contact you more times than desired. In order to prevent this problem, telephone numbers and email addresses may be withheld but this gives the disadvantage of isolating the “owner” of the telephone number or email address.
Senders of communications also experience problems because they are often unsure about which mode of communication to use at a given time for a particular destination. In order to determine the most appropriate method of access there are many factors to be considered. These include factors to do with the sender such as what they are trying to communicate and factors to do with the receiver such as where the intended recipient is and what they are doing at the time.
Two examples of instant messaging services are now described: